As long as we have the very generous welfare programs, it benefits this woman to keep the kids and keep having more. It costs her not a thing --- she's not having to provide her brood or herself anything.
I don't know what the program is like where she is, but here, being on welfare is no bargain. All the benefit is in the food stamps and medical, much of which is available apart from any cash benefit, at least for the children. What we have here is the TEA program. It is temporary and the cash benefit won't even pay the electric bill if the person is living in subsidized housing. Without family help, it is very difficult for single, poorly educated parents to improve their situation here. Unskilled jobs are scarce. Jobs that pay more than minimim wage are virtually nonexistent. There is no public transportation, and very little is actually close to town. In this area, a single mom would be much better off working, even part-time, than to be on "welfare."